Siriki Diabate - Assistant Coach Run Game Coordinator / Linebackers - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Siriki Diabate

Title:
Assistant Coach Run Game Coordinator / Linebackers
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Assistant Coach Siriki Diabate begins his fourth season as the linebackers coach at UConn in 2025. He also serves as the defensive run game coordinator.

Diabate joined Coach Mora’s staff in Storrs after spending the previous five seasons in the same role at Middle Tennessee.

The 2024 season saw another Husky linebacker pile up tackles and rank among the top defenders the country has to offer. Transfer Jayden McDonald totaled 125 stops last fall, ranking ninth in the country in total tackles while his 9.6 tackles per game ranked 15^th.

In 2023, Diabate helped senior linebacker Jackson Mitchell put the finishing touches on one of the finest careers for a UConn linebacker in program history. Mitchell ended his senior season with his third-straight appearance on the All-New England team before playing the Hula Bowl and the 99th East-West Shrine Bowl. Mitchell once again led the team with 113 tackles in 2023 and ranked 19th in the nation in tackles per game (9.4). He ended his career third on the all-time list at UConn with 438 stops over four seasons. He would sign as an undrafted free agent with the Carolina Panthers.

In his first season at UConn, Diabate coached Mitchell for the first time and the middle linebacker finished the 2022 season as an All-New England selection. Mitchell led the country in fumble recoveries and was seventh among NCAA leaders in total tackles. In addition, senior linebackers Brandon Bouyer-Randle and Ian Swenson were among the team leaders in tackles and both would go on to signed NFL free agent contracts after the NFL Draft.

Since joining Middle Tennessee in 2017, Diabate coached in a pair of bowl games and mentored linebacker DQuarius Thomas who finished as the school's all-time leader in tackles for a loss (50). He also mentored Khalil Brooks who along with Thomas finished in the top-five all-time at MTSU in sacks. Diabate coached Brooks to All-C-USA status (second team), Darius Harris to All-C-USA (first team) and Thomas to All-C-USA (honorable mention) status during the 2018 season. In 2017, Diabate coached Brooks and DJ Sanders to all-conference status while Harris was named the 2017 Camellia Bowl MVP.

Prior to his time in Murfreesboro, Diabate spent the 2017 season as a defensive analyst, focusing on the secondary, and coached the safeties at Colgate from 2015-16. A native of the Bronx, Diabate helped Colgate capture the 2015 Patriot League Championship on the strength of the nation's top-ranked rushing defense.

During the offseason, he participated in the NFL's Minority Internship Program, spending time at training camps for the Buffalo Bill and the Dallas Cowboys.

Before his time at Colgate, Diabate served as a graduate assistant for Syracuse from 2013-15.

Diabate earned his bachelor's degree in economics in 2013 and his master's degree in 2015, from Syracuse University where he competed on the gridiron from 2011-13. During his time at Syracuse, the Orange won the 2012 BIG EAST Championship and he was selected as a co-captain.

Coaching Career

Years	University/Organization	Position
2022-	UConn	Linebackers
2017-2021	Middle Tennessee	Linebackers
2017	Notre Dame	Defensive Analyst
2015-17	Colgate	Safeties
2013-15	Syracuse	Graduate Assistant